Shipping and Display Container for Fresh Products Such As Asparagus

ABSTRACT

A shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus. This container is provided with a box body having an open front so that when the container is opened the top and front of the product is visible for inspection. A cover that closes not only the top of the box body but also the front is provided to the container. Suitable small side panels and a small bottom panel are provided to the front so that the cover may be attached thereto by means such as staples, adhesive or the like. The entire container is formed out of a single substantially rectangular blank of which the longitudinal side portions are scored and cut so as to form double thickness side walls of increased strength for both the box body and the cover while the central portions of the blank are scored along predetermined lines to form the bottom, rear wall, top and front wall of the container.

United States Patent 1191 Merrill Feb.4, 1975 SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINER FOR FRESH PRODUCTS SUCH AS ASPARAGUS Primary ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy [57] ABSTRACT A shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus. This container is provided with a box body having an open front so that when the container is opened the top and front of the product is visible for inspection. A cover that closes not only the top of the box body but also the front is provided to the container. Suitable small side panels and a small bottom panel are provided to the front so that the cover may be attached thereto by means such as staples, adhesive or the like. The entire container is formed out of a single substantially rectangular blank of which the longitudinal side portions are scored and cut so as to form double thickness side walls of increased strength for both the box body and the cover while the central portions of the blank are scored along predetermined lines to form the bottom, rear wall, top and front wall of the container.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINER FOR FRESH PRODUCTS SUCH AS ASPARAGUS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a combination shipping and displaying container for fresh products such as asparagus and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus and the like which is made of a single substantially rectangular blank of sheet material such as corrugated cardboard and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus and the like, said container being provided with a box body that is open at the front and top thereof so as to display the product for sales purposes, said container also being provided with a cover that is adapted to close the top and front of the container while in transit.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, said container being made out of a substantially rectangular blank of sheet material having the longitudinal side portions thereof scored and cut so as to form double thickness side walls for both the box body and cover and the longitudinal central portion of the blank being scored so as to form the bottom, rear wall, top and front of the container, the top and front thereof being of unitary construction hingedly attached to the rear wall of the box body so that it may be severed from said rear wall and thereafter the box body may be employed as an open front and open top container for display of the product at the sales outlet.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art-to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

In accordance with this invention there is provided improved shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus and the like which is constructed so that it may be economically and efficiently manufactured with a minimum of waste material from a single substantially rectangular blank of sheet material such as corrugated cardboard and the like. This container is made with double thickness side walls provided not only to the. box body but also to the cover thereof to give it strength so that it may be used for shipping products such as fresh vegetables. This container is also made so that after it arrives at the sales destination the product may remain in the box body portion of the container and displayed for sales purposes. This is possible because the box body is made not only with an open top but with a substantially open front. Theses open portions are closed during shipment by the cover which is constructed to close the top and front of the box body. Double thickness side walls are provided to both the box body and to the cover thereof, thus providing a container that has sufficient strength for use as a shipping container.

Further details and features of this invention will be set forth in the following specification, claims and drawing in which, briefly:

FIG. I is a perspective view of an embodiment of this container showing the cover thereof swung into open position so as to display the products positioned therein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container show in FIG. 1 illustrating it in closed position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank which is cut and scored so that the container of this invention may be erected therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a view of the open container partially broken away to show the inside of the box body; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail reference numer 10 designates the erected container for perishable products such as asparagus or the like and which is shown in open position in FIG. 1 and in closed position in FIG. 2. This container is formed from the substantially rectangular blank of sheet material shown in FIG. 3 in which the reference numerals ll, 12, 13 and 14 designate the bottom, rear wall, top and front of the container. The bottom 11 is attached along the scoreline 11a to the rear wall 12 and the rear Wall is attached along the scoreline 12a, to the top 13. The front 14 is attached along the scoreline 13a to the top 13. When the various panels and walls of the blank shown in FIG. 3 are erected into a container as shown in FIG. 1 the scoreline 112a defines the hinge between the box body the cover of the container.

Side walls 15 and 16 are attached to opposite side edges 11b and 110, respectively, of the bottom 11. Side walls 17 and 18 which are separated from side walls 15 and 16 cuts 17a and 18a, respectively, are attached to opposite sides of the rear wall along the scorelines 12b and 120, respectively. When the box body is erected as shown in FIG. I the side walls 17 and I8 overlap and are positioned on the outside of side walls 15 and 16, respectively, to form double thickness side walls and the two thicknesses of these side walls may be attached to each other by means such as staples 17c, adhesive or the like.

Side walls 19 and 20 are provided to the opposite sides of the'top l3 and are attached thereto along scorelines 13b and 130, respectively. These side walls 19 and 20 are severed from side walls 17 and 18 along cuts 19a and 20a, respectively. Side walls 21 and 22 are provided to opposite sides of the front I4 and are at tached thereto along scorelines I4b,-and 14c, respectively. These side walls 21 and 22 are severed from side walls 19 and 20 along cuts 21a and 22a, respectively. When the cover is erected as shown in FIG. I, the side walls 19 and 20 overlap side walls 21 and 22, respectively, and are positioned on the outsides thereof to which they are attached by suitable staples 19a, adhesive or the like to provide double thickness side walls at the opposite ends of the top and front.

The container is erected by folding the different walls thereof along the scorelines previously described, and in erecting the container the small panels 23, 24, 25 which are attached to the front of side walls 15, I1, and 16, respectively, along scorelines 15a, 11d and 16a, respectively, are folded along these scorelines to form the small front panels as shown in FIG. 1, and the corners of the panel 24 are attached to the bottom parts of ver tical panels 23 and 25 by staples 24a and 24b, respectively. After the container is erected it is provided with a pad 30 in the bottom thereof made of paper or other porous material which is adapted to retain a quantity of water so that when the product such as asparagus is placed into the container the cut ends of the product will be resting on this water absorbent pad.

The container is also provided with various ventilation holes and gripping holes which may also function as ventilation holes. Thus, the bottom 11, rear wall 12, top 13 and front 14 are provided with ventilation holes 26, 27, 28, and 29, respectively, and the side walls 15,

16, l7, l8, 19, 20, 21, and 22 are provided with gripping holes 15b, 16b, 17b, 18b, 19b, 20b, 21b, and 22b, respectively. These gripping holes are arranged in aligned pairs since side walls overlap as priveously described. Thus,the pairs of holes lb-l7b, l6b-l8b, 19b- 2lb and 20b-22b form the aligned pairs of gripping holes in the erected container.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown so that the scope thereof should be limited only by the proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

l. A combined shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, the combination comprising a box body having a bottom, a rear wall and double thickness side walls, one thickness of said side walls having the rear edges thereof integral with the respective sides of said rear wall, the other thickness of 25 front edge of said top, one thickness of said side members being attached to the side edges of said top and the other thickness of said side members being attached to said front wall, said side members overlapping said side walls when said top is lowered to close said box body and said front wall closes the front of said box body, and means attaching said front wall to said bottom and to said end walls when said box body is closed.

2. A combined shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said box body and said cover are erected from a substantially rectangular blank of sheet material, said bottom and rear wall of said box body and said top and front wall of said cover being formed from the central part of said blank and said side walls of said box body and said cover being formed from the side portions of said blank.

3. A combined shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that selected ones of said side walls are integral with said bottom, said rear wall, said top and said front wall, small panels attached to the side walls of said box body and to said bottom of said box body, said small panels extending into the open front of said box body, and means attaching said front wall of said cover to said small panels when said cover is in closed position. 

1. A combined shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, the combination comprising a box body having a bottom, a rear wall and double thickness side walls, one thickness of said side walls having the rear edges thereof integral with the respective sides of said rear wall, the other thickness of said side walls having the bottom edges thereof integral with the sides of said bottom, a cover having a top, a front wall and double thickness side members, the rear edge of said top being hingedly attached to the top edge of said rear wall, said front wall being attached to the front edge of said top, one thickness of said side members being attached to the side edges of said top and the other thickness of said side members being attached to said front wall, said side members overlapping said side walls when said top is lowered to close said box body and said front wall closes the front of said box body, and means attaching said front wall to said bottom and to said end walls when said box body is closed.
 2. A combined shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, the combination as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said box body and said cover are erected from a substantially rectangular blank of sheet material, said bottom and rear wall of said box body and said top and front wall of said cover being formed from the central part of said blank and said side walls of said box body and said cover being formed from the side portions of said blank.
 3. A combined shipping and display container for fresh products such as asparagus, the combination as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that selected ones of said side walls are integral with said bottom, said rear wall, said top and said front wall, small panels attached to the side walls of said box body and to said bottom of said box body, said small panels extending into the open front of said box body, and means attaching said front wall of said cover to said small panels when said cover is in closed position. 